Improvement in fruit-jars



D. E; STEVENS.

FRUIT JAR.

No.'179,Z31. Patented June 27,1876.

WcIZl'NESSES rgmmz a? B $i m qqwr O Attorney.

MPETERS. FHOTO-UTROGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D .C)

UNITE IMPROVEMENT m FRUIT-JARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,231, dated June 27,1876 application filed April 8, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. E. STEVENS, of Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Jars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art -to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The manufacture of fruit-cans has embodied many different features of construction, both as regards material employed and looking or sealing mechanism. Glass jars have been found to be peculiarly adapted to the necessity of the occasion, on account of their dense silicious element and consequent advantages. This, with the attendant points of transparency and easy process of blowing the vessel, v renders the constituting element of glass a specially fit one for fruit-cans. But the means of closing same securely against atmospheric pressure, and at the same time allowing of ready and agreeable unlocking, is as yet undetermined in any definite manner. Various complex mechanisms have been employed, which call into requisition two or more separate and independent parts or pieces aside from thejar body; but in the line of a single piece, answering all the purposes of a cover and locking device, in connection with correspondin g device on the jar for said latter piece, a difficulty has been experienced. A screwthread on the cap engaging with a thread on the neck of the jar, is a continuous and constant leverage and necessarily capable of double actionthat is, it must in its reverse movement tend to raise the cap bodily from the jar, thus attbrding an entrance for the impending air.

It is also manifest that the finely protruding points on the joining surfaces of the two pieces-cap and jar-afl'ord very strong neutral friction and resistance in attempting their separation. Especially is this true of glass, though the principle, same in kind, differing in degree, exists in jars thus made from any other materialsuch as tin, metal, &c. it is also very desirable that the operator may be aware of the character of the canning processas to its accuracy and correct state of the fruit inclosedbefore putting the cans away, as a proof against time.

With such above points in view I have perfected my invention, designed to obviate the disadvanta, z;es herein first mentioned, and atof a different construction of the same prin- 7 ciple, wherein the projections of the jar-neck are on the inside of same, and the cap has a depressed body with answering projections outward from the jar.

A is any jar, constructed of glass or other-.

wise, and of any desired conformation or design, having on its neck any number of projecting lugs, a. These lugs form one andthe same piece with the body of the jar, and taper from the center of each to both extremities of same. B is any-suitable gasket or packing, either of rubber or other material. 0 is the cap or cover, and is provided with lugs c, corresponding in incline, taper, and general dimensions, to the lugs on the jar-neck. They are likewise of the same piece andpart with the cap. These several dimensions are of such relative proportions, and the corresponding logs are so situated in their respective positions, that a tight joint is obtained by the uniting of the same, before the center of the one lug-meets and overrides the center of its counterpart lug. In other words, center is never to pass center, and the utmost force ap plied only serves to approximate such a union of the centers of the lugs; and in fact their centers can never be in the same vertical plane. Itis apparent that, as the cap is placed upon the jar in position, it may be turned in either and different directions, effecting in both instances the one and same result.

The lugs of the jar body will and must unite in a firm engagement with the lugs of outward.

structed according to the foregoing descripthe cap, which attachment can easily be dissolved by turning the cover in the direction opposite to that in which it was turned on. Figs. 1 and 2 show different manners of constructing such a described locking mechanism. In Fig. 1 the lugs project outward from-the exterior side of the jar-neck, while the lugs on cap project inward from the interior of the overlapping; flange or" the cap. Fig. 2 shows the exact reverse of the tbregoing-that is, the lugs of the jar-body project inward from the interior of the neck, while the cap has a depressed or depending face body, which sinks down into the neck of the jar, thus atfording a seating for its lugs, which project An advantage of fruit-jars contion is, that when 1 turn the caps they do not necessarily rise up from 0d the rubber; hence, if I wish, after my fruit has been put up and allowed to cool, I can carefully turn back these caps until thelugs or projections on cap pass from under the lugs on jar, when there is no longer a pressure upon the cap to hold it down. Now, if, by gently taking hold of the cap, it lifts off, the fruit would be unsafe; but it the suction is perfect, and no air entering the jar, the cap will not so lift off. In this way each jar can be proven before the fruit spoils, which cannot be done with many of the prominent jars. Another advantage is that the cap complete can be made in one piece, either of glass, tin, or other metal, thus making'a very good and cheap jar. And while it is almost impractical to use a glasscap and glass jar, securing same together by screwthread, and then open the jar without breaking it, because of the adhesion of glass to glass, yet in this proposed way I obtain all the advantages of the even pressure of the screw, and yet so small a part of glass coming in contact with glass as to obviate any difficulty in opening the can.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the jar A, having a shoulder below the neck of the jar, and convex-faced lugs formed' on' said neck, of the cover, having convex-faced lug s securetl to its inner surface and the gasket, the latter engaged by, the outwardly-flaringlower edge of the cover, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of April, 1876. p 4

DAVID E. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

J. F. LINGAFELTYER, SAML. M. HUNTER. 

